Thursday, March 13, 2008

Chapter 1 Part1 of A Story That Will Probably Never Be Finished

Today I read in my horoscope that I would be reunited with someone from the past, and sure enough it was true. This usually sounds good to someone who has a lot of friends from the past, like me, but horoscopes are never very profound. They make them so they could relate to anyone, in any situation. In fact it scared me that this one was so assuring, and something even scarier was it never said friend. I saw him, right after I left home for work, in the old neighborhood we grew up in. I could never find the courage to leave home. I couldn’t abandon those memories that I worked so hard to create.

The neighborhood was just like it was when we were growing up. The same corner shop where we bought ice in the summer, it still had the neon green sign that said cold beer. It had lost its liquor license before I was old enough to buy any, but the shop keep kept the sign, he said it attracted customers. The sidewalks still had the same cracks in them, and every now and then I could have sworn I saw old Miss Jinni’s black cat, Binky. Though it was impossible we had played with it since I was still learning to walk straight up – a little bit after learning to stand up and not fall down, of course.

The place never changed in one little bit, and when I saw him it seemed neither did he. He still looked exactly like he did eleven years ago. I wasn’t surprised. He still had the same posture. His back was arched and his chin up, as if the whole world was lucky to have him here, unfortunately this was kind of true. His black hair was still in his eyes. It was so dark I was amazed he could see through it, and he still had that grin on his face, like a villain in a comic book.

Once I saw him a chill ran down my back. I raised my hand for a cab and hid my face. I thought about how stupid I was to think that would work. How do you hide from something like him? He called me by the nick name the kids at school would hound me with after classes. “Twinkles” He screamed and before I could turn around I could feel him breathing down my neck. I turned and saw a face and as usual I felt the face and all those other memories that came with it enter my eyes, rush back into my mind and settle.

“Did you need a Taxi?” he politely asked and motioned with his hand for me to turn around. I looked back to see a taxi waiting and impatiently revving its engine.

“No, Eric, I was just waving at the nice police man across the street.” I said nonchalantly. Eric smiled and opened the door for me.

“Well,” he replied, “this way is a much easier way to get to work, for you at least. Besides you know what the boss says, Time is money.”

My boss did always say that, and it was no coincidence that he knew that. I’m sure he knew his name and his social security number too. I got in the car there was no use in resisting him. He got in after me and started reminiscing about old times. He and I grew up together, and until that moment I had forgotten what happened between us.

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